7 things you can relate to if you went to an international school

29 Mar 2019

Students who attend international schools are a special breed, learning and befriending students from all corners of the globe, all within one setting.

But there’s no denying that international schools embody a unique experience when compared to non-international schools (i.e. Model United Nations, anyone?), and no one can truly understand unless they attended one too.

Here are some things you might be able to relate to if you went to an international school:

1. Your accent is ‘neither here nor there’

“You sound American, but there’s also a hint of…a British accent?”

School is a petri dish of diverse nationalities where you’ll encounter British accents, American accents, Australian accents and more, and you really can’t help but pick up a hint of those accents. You spend most of your waking life in school anyway, resulting in a unique accent that’s ‘neither here nor there’. This baffles people, who can’t help but to ask, “Where are you from?”

2. You have friends from everywhere

The US – check. Australia – check. Canada – check. Denmark – check. China – check!

The cool thing about going to international school is the wickedly awesome international connections you make. Studying in a classroom with a culturally-diverse student body isn’t something out of the norm, making events like International Day pretty awesome – cool cultural clothing, awesome food and great company!

3. You’ve picked up several phrases in different languages

Be it Russian, Bahasa Malaysia or Tagalog, studying among an international student body means you’re bound to pick up phrases and have several swear words in foreign languages up your sleeve…

Tsk.

4. You understand the pain of saying goodbye to friends

Attending international school means getting used to making and losing friends on a pretty frequent basis. So whether you’re making friends whose parents are diplomats or celebrities, or with the girl who gave you the warmest welcome, saying goodbye never gets easier with time.

5. Constantly answering curious questions

“Why did you move here? Which country did you like best?” and the best “Where are you from?” – which is another brain-freeze moment if you’re a third culture kid (TCK).

Quelle horreur!

6. You sometimes feel like you don’t have a home

If your parents are constantly moving the family due to work, it can be hard to feel a sense of belonging if you’re packing up your bags every few years. Having dual passports doesn’t help either, especially when you grew up in several countries, making it difficult to develop a sense of cultural identity.

7. You wouldn’t change anything